FOOD ISSUES

CARBOHYDRATES

Information: food issues. Carbohydrate-rich foods are the primary source of energy for all body functions. Your body breaks down carbohydrates, or carbs, into fuel for use by your cells and muscles - that's why eating a moderate amount of carbohydrates is necessary for most people.

There are two types of carbs: sugars and starches. Sugars are simple carbohydrates that can be easily digested by your body and include foods like cake, soda, candy, jellies and fruits.

Starches are complex carbohydrates that take longer to be digested and include foods such as breads, grains, pasta, tortillas, noodles, fruits and vegetables.

Many carbohydrate-rich foods are loaded with other nutrients. Fruits and vegetables are not only great carbohydrate sources, they're also excellent suppliers of vitamins A and C and many other vitamins and minerals. Most dairy products are also great sources of carbohydrates.

Sugar

Sugar is a simple carbohydrate. There are two types of sugars - monosaccharides, which include glucose, fructose and galactose, are made of one sugar molecule, and disaccharides are made of two sugar molecules linked together.

Disaccharides are formed when monosaccharides combine - for example, when glucose and fructose are combined, they form sucrose, also known as table sugar. Other disaccharides include maltose, dextrose and lactose. When many sugar molecules are linked together, they form a complex carbohydrate, also known as a starch.

Sugar provides the sweet flavor to foods to which it has been added, and it may also act as a preservative and flavor enhancer.

Sugar is used in a variety of foods, including cookies, cakes, pickles, ice cream, alcohol and jams and jellies. Types of sugar include raw sugar, brown sugar, honey, molasses, maple sugar and corn syrup.

Sugar, which provides 16 calories per teaspoon, provides no vitamins and minerals, so it's a good idea to use it in moderation. Overconsumption of sugar, like other carbohydrates, has been linked to the development of cavities.

However, sugar consumption has not been linked to hyperactivity in children. A high intake of sugar does not cause diabetes, but if a person is diagnosed with diabetes the amount of simple sugar eaten daily often needs to be reduced.

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